It’s Still Winter

This is what’s happening in my neighborhood. Again! The snow is falling! Are you all tired of winter yet? Yeah, me too!

Even the transportation is tired of winter – a landing plane slid off the runway at LaGuardia airport and crushed into a fence, luckily, nobody was seriously hurt.

If you’re flying, please be safe!

My brain is also covered in “fog and snow”, maybe it’s winter, or maybe it’s today’s Full Moon, I just can’t seem to organize and keep myself on schedule today. Technically, it should’ve been the opposite, this Full Moon is in Virgo, and Virgo people are excellent organizers, analytical thinkers and all about perfecting the details. But we are also squaring Pisces, and they could care less about details and organization, they’d much rather swim around in a free flowing  water. My Virgo energy is just not happening today (though I wish it would), I’m under a spell of Pisces – read brain fog.

Therefore, I decided to call it a day and came home early. So if you’re out, walking, driving or flying, be safe!

What’s Cooking This Week

I promised more recipes highlighting Russian cuisine. Today is one of them, I make some version of it quite often. Cabbage may not be your favorite vegetable, but it’s a staple in Russian cuisine, and it’s full of nutrients, so I encourage you to try. A combo of cabbage and beef is a traditional Russian pairing, plus adding beans makes it an all time favorite Slavic dish. And it’s a great recipe to try on this cold winter day.

Beef and White Beans Cabbage Stew

1 lbs of beef cuts for stew

1/2 of a medium size cabbage, shredded

3 medium size carrots, diced

6 – 7 medium potatoes, diced

1 large onion, diced

3/4 cup of fresh tomatoes

1 can of white beans, rinsed

1 large bell pepper, any color, diced

3 large bay leaves

2 tsps of celery salt

1/2 tsp of basil and rosemary

1/4 tsp marjoram and coriander

olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh herbs

In a large Dutch oven, heat up some olive oil, sauté diced onions till slightly golden, add beef and brown the meat evenly. Add some water, bay leaves, coriander and celery salt, cover and cook meat until about half way done.

Add diced potatoes, carrots and peppers, cook for about 5 minutes. Then add shredded cabbage and all the other spices.

Cook the stew covered until all is almost done, add diced fresh tomatoes and white beans, more salt and pepper per taste and finish cooking. Garnish with fresh herbs when serving.

It’s hearty and satisfying yet light in taste and calories. I hope you enjoy this Russian favorite!